May Favourites

 May has definitely been one of my more hectic months. This may I officially finished my first year at university, made the move back home and celebrated my 19th birthday. On top of that I'm going away for a few days at the start of next month meaning things aren't slowing down anytime soon! Although this month I have still discovered some amazing products and figured today I would share my favourites with you guys.

Benefit Bronze of Champions (£26.50)  - I did a full review on this product here so I wont go too much into it, although I will say that this little kit is full of gems and I love each and every one of them!

Barry M Nail Paint in Sugar Apple (£3.99) - I actually borrowed this favourite from a friend although love it so much I know I'm going to get my own! This is just a lovely shade for this time of year and I love wearing it on my nails. Expect a full review soon!

Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara (£7.99) - A friend brought me this mascara for Christmas, and to be honest I didn't think I was going to like it. Although since finally trying it a few weeks ago I've been using this daily, It just does alot for my lashes and doesn't budge all day!

Headmasters Heat Defence Serum* and Super Smooth Brow Dry cream*- I cant seem to find these online, although have spotted this pair in discount stores such as Home Bargains so figured I'd still talk about them. I got these in at an event last year, although have only just gotten around to using them. This duo just leaves my hair feeling amazing, and I only need a pea sized amount of each meaning they will last ages.

Enrapture Styling Wand (£17.99) - This beauty is my favourite Home Bargains find ever, I'm just obsessed with it. I've literally used my straighteners once since picking this up earlier this month which is a record for me! I love that you can chance each section although personally I find that 1-1-1 gives my hair the desired effect.

Makeup Revolution The One Concealer

Continuing my love affair with Makeup Revolution, I figured today I would share my new favourite under eye concealer with you guys. I've been wanting to try a hydrating concealer for some time now, so when I spotted this beauty on the Makeup Revolution's website I had to give it a try! Makeup Revolution's the one concealer in  the shade light is one of the lightest concealers I've discovered on the high street which makes it great for brightening my under eye area, and prefect for the pale among us! Although with that in mind there is a medium and dark shade available too!

The balmy outer ring leaves the skin under my eyes feeling nourished throughout the day. Makeup Revolution's the one concealer also manages to last all day without any cracking. The packaging is pretty sturdy and looks like it could survive my handbag, although if there's one fault with this it would be that the gold writing fades awfully quickly, in fact there isn't a trace of it left on my current tube.

I love this little bargain find! You can get yours for just £3 here.

The British Beauty Blogger Dream Box..

When I heard that British Beauty Blogger was releasing another beauty box, I knew I had to get my hands on one. What's more this time she has joined forces with Latest in Beauty create the best beauty box I have ever purchased. I was already a massive fan of Latest in beauty, in fact I believe this is about the 5th time I've ordered from them, so I was pleased to see this lovely package arrive at my house just two days after ordering. When they said there wasn't even room for tissue paper they weren't kidding, this box was full to the brim with 15 products!  Another thing I loved about this box was the little book inside telling you a little bit about every product. I just think this was a really personal touch and I love that so much thought has been put into every product!

Kneipp Herbal Baths (Full Size 100ml worth £7.95) - There were two scents of this available, and I got the Mandarin Orange one. I'm a little bit ill at the moment meaning my sense of smell is rubbish. However if there's one thing I can tell you about this product it's that the smell is really strong, which is probably ideal considering the box advises users to add just a capful to their baths. I really love that this comes in a glass bottle too, It just makes it feel that little bit classier.

Janjira Hand Wash (50ml Worth £3.20) - Admittedly this is one of the less exciting products in the box, although still useful and as Jane pointed out in her video this would be great to keep in your handbag for on the go which is what I plan to do with this. I got this in Thai lime & ginger, although the argan oil one was also in some boxes.

Elemis Treat Your Feet  (20ml Worth £6.00) - The only foot cream I've ever really used is Heel Genuis from Soap & Glory, so it will take a lot to convert me. Although with flip flop season fast approaching I'm willing to give this a try, Its also a great size for traveling too.

 Roger & Gallet Gingembre Rouge (1.5ml vial) - Again my sense of smell is really off at the moment so I cant really tell you what I think of the scent, although personally I love these little perfume samples as they're perfect for throwing in my handbag.

Bee Good Honey & Wild Water Mint 3-in-1 Cleansing Water (Full Size 100ml worth £10.00) - I love cleansing waters so I'm willing to give this one a go, I also really like the packaging and thought it did a pretty good job when I tested it out last night.

La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water (50ml worth £4.00) - I think these waters are so handy to have in the summer, especially if you're like me and get hot way too quickly!

L'Occitane Divine Lotion (50ml worth £10.50) - I'm really excited to try this one and think its a great sample size! You simply add this between cleansing and moisturising which i think is an interesting idea, I cant wait to see the effects!

Benefit it's potent! eye cream (3g worth £4.96) - I've been loving eye creams lately so this is a welcomed addition, again this is quite a nice sample size so should last me a couple of weeks.

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara (Full Size 8ml worth £19.00) - I was utterly amazed when I saw that this box contained a full size better than sex mascara, this beauty has been popping up on so many blogs so I'm really excited to try it out for myself.

Makeup Revolution Awesome Eyeshadow & Eyebrow Palette (Full Size worth £4.00) - I've been loving make up revolution lately, although personally this palette just isn't my cup of tea and I will be passing it along to my sister who I'm sure will find a use for it. There were four different palettes up for grabs.

LOLA Make Up Kabuki Brush (Full Size worth £19.00) - I've never tried a kabuki brush before so I'm excited to try this one out! It feels really soft and I love the small size of it!

Charlote Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick sacet - Despite being a rather small sample size I think this lipstick sachet is adorable and I look forward to putting this lipstick to the test! I got the shade
So Marilyn. 

Essie polish (Full Size worth £7.99) - There were quite a few Essie shades, and I got  Hide and Go chic which is this lovely blue shade that I look forward to wearing in the coming months. I'm a huge fan of Essie and am happy to have another in the collection.

REN Satin Perfection BB Cream (3ml worth £1.56) - I'm a big fan of BB creams so I cant wait to try out this one from REN!

Bourjois Cream Blush (Full size worth £7.99) - I'm a huge fan of cream blush, although for some reason I have never tried one from Bourois! So I look forward to trying this shade out, I got shade 01!

So there you have it everything in my British Beauty Blogger Dream Box! For under £20 I got £106.15 worth of products (and that's not including the couple I couldn't get values for)! Sadly this sold out pretty quickly, although Latest in Beauty have five up for grabs here, so its worth entering if you missed out.

Topshop cream blush in 'Head Over Heels'

If you've been here for a while you may know that I'm a big fan of Topshop make up. The obsession started when I got this 'up in the air' cream blush duo in the Christmas sales over a year ago now, and since then my collection has rapidly grown. Although my most loved Topshop product happens to be this cream blush in head over heels. Since taking these pictures last summer, I've pretty much worn this beauty every day, so much so that I've hit pan, something I've never achieved with a blush before!

As always with Topshop products I'm a huge fan of the packaging, I just love the simplicity of this design, and think it looks really cute in my make up bag! It's also really sturdy and contains a mirror which is always a bonus. The product itself looks extremely scary in the pan (and even swatched for the matter) however once blended on the cheeks this transforms into the most beautiful 'flushed' shade which caused me to reach for this product everyday. 

What I love about this product is that it blends like a dream whether your using your fingers or a brush, although personally I prefer using a Real Techniques stippling brush to get the job done as it cuts down on mess. You only need a small amount of this too meaning it will last ages, plus I rarely feel the need to top this up throughout the day.

This is probably my all time favourite blush, and I can see myself replacing it when it runs out! You can pick up head over heels here for £7. Do you own any Topshop make up?

Makeup Revolution Iconic 3 Palette

If there's one product everyone seems to be talking about lately it's this little beauty from Make Up Revolution.  At just £4, this palette appears to be a pretty good match to Urban Decay's Naked 3 filled with 12 rosey toned neutrals. The Iconic 3 provides a real mix of shimmer and matt shades meaning there's something for everyone and I was really pleased to find that these matt shades were just as good as their shimmey counter parts which isn't always guaranteed with cheaper eyeshadows.
While personally I prefer creating looks with the darker shades towards the right of the palette, I have been pleasantly surprised with wearability of some of the pinker shades. Applied on top of a decent eye primer the eyeshadow was still around eight hours later, albeit a little faded. As you can see below the shades are pretty pigmented considering the low price tag, although unfortunately the first shade matches with my skintone so isn't visible here.

At just £4 I think this palette is a complete steal! Have you tried anything from make up revolution?

Benefit The Bronze of Champions

I love a good baragin buy, although If there's one brand I don't mind spending a little bit more on it's benefit! In particular I'm a huge fan of their little make up kits, so when I saw their 'All star kits' last year, I knew I needed Bronze of Champions in my life.
The kit includes rather generous minis of; Watts Up Highlighter, Hoola Bronzer, Thanks a Latte Powder Eyeshadow, Bikini-Tini Cream Eyeshadow, They're Real Mascara and a Hoola Lipgloss. For £26.50, you get six products to try, working out at about £4.40 each.

The thing I love most about this little set is that minus a few basics, you've got enough to make over your whole face. The kit iself is smaller than a book making it ideal to just throw in your suitcase before a hoilday. Alternatively four of the products can be taken out of the kit and placed in your make up bag, and the two powders could be easily deported. Personally, I rarely finish make up products so sets like these are great for me as I get to try six new products for the price of one.

Having put all of these products to the test I'm happy to announce there isn't one rubbish product in the box! So figured I'd give you a guys a summary on each product the set has to offer:
Watts Up Highlighter (£24.50/fullsize) - I love using this highlighter to add a subtle glow to the tops of my cheek bones, although I've found against my pale skin the trick is to really blend! What I love about this most is that unlike other highlighters I've tried this stuff is still around hours later!
Hoola Bronzer (£23.50/fullsize) - This matt bronzer is lovely for contouring, I also love that the brush included with this feels pretty soft! I tend to use this to apply the bronzer as my bigger brushes cause an awful mess, although I imagine this wouldn't be an issue with the full sized product.
Thanks a Latte Powder Eyeshadow (£15.50/full size) and Bikini-Tini Cream Eyeshadow (£15.50/fullsize) - I love using this combination to create a really simple yet glam eye look. I simply apply Bikini-Tini all over the lid then add Thanks a Latte to the crease. It lasts all day too, even without a primer!
They're Real Mascara (£19.50/fullsize) - This is my all time favourite mascara so I'm happy to have a back up. They're real just leaves the lashes looking great and lasts until you take it off.
 Hoola Lipgloss (£14.50) - This nude lipgloss has such a lovely formula, not only does it feel lovely on the lips - Its not sticky!

Overall I think this little kit is a great product, and look forward to trying more in the range! What do you think of The bronze of Champions?

Contour Wars!

Last year I really got into contouring, so figured today I would show you guys my three favourite products. For reference I have pretty pale skin, so hopefully this post will be of some use to those who struggle with bronzers!

Sleek Face Form in Fair (£9.99/Superdrug)

Sleek's Face Form palette is probably one of the most talked about contouring products on the high street. The Palette comes in four shades; fair, light, medium and dark. I own the fair palette which comes complete with a contour shade, rose gold blusher and a highlight. The shades themselves are very pigmented so a light hand is recommended here!

The Good: Not only is this compact palette perfect for beginners, offering users a matching blush and highlight shade, It is also amazing for travelling containing everything you need for a well contoured face in one palette along with a very handy mirror. The packaging also feels really sturdy for the price point. This is also pretty cheap, coming in at around £3.33 for each shade. 

The Bad: If your simply looking for a contour shade this palette probably isn't ideal as it contains two other products, meaning you get less product than you would if you simply brought a bronzer. It's quite pigmented meaning it can be harder to work with, and at times a little orangery if applied too heavily.

The Bottom Line: This is a really lovely product, but as mentioned it does have its issues..provided you use a light hand and don't mind a little blending this is a steal at under a tenner!
Best for: Anyone looking for a combination of products at a low price point. 

Soap & Glory Solar Powder (£11.00/Boots)

There's no denying Soap & Glory caused quite a stir when they released their make up line back in 2011. It took me a while to try the products, although I haven't looked back since trying this bronzer last year. Complete with two sides, S&G Solar Powder allows users to create three different shades - although personally I just always blend them both together. 

The Good: This bronzer is easily to blend and looks great on pale skin, if that's not enough owners have the option of three shades for the price of one powder! (on the above picture bottom-top: the right side, left side and both together) There is also a good amount of product (I've been using mine since last summer and there's not much of a dent). Its also worth noting that this has a mirror which is always handy! It's also the only one I've fully reviewed here.

The Bad: At £11, this is pricier than my other favourites (Although look out for deals at Boots!). This also comes in cardboard packaging which isn't ideal, although mine is holding up pretty well!

The Bottom Line: Despite the minor issues, I'd recommend that anyone with pale skin gave this bronzer a go. I honestly think its worth the money and its lasted so well!

Best for: Any pale girls looking to spend a little bit more for a good quality bronzer which will last ages!

Dainty Doll Cream Blush in '003' (Price varies)
The blogging world went mad when Dainty Doll started to pop up on popular discount sites, being pale myself I ended up with quite a few products including this cream blush! I discovered this was lovely for a light contouring and have loved it ever since!
The Good: As this is cream formula it blends effortlessly into the skin and is really natural looking, Perfect for the really pale among us. This also comes in sturdy packaging complete with a mirror.
The Bad: Because Dainty Doll is slowly disappearing this can be hard to get hold of, although above I have linked an Ebay listing were its under £5 with P&P! I'm also shocked at how quickly the writing on the front of this faded, considering the high RRP.
The Bottom Line: This is just a perfect shade for anyone who is finding other contour shades way too dark for them, the formula is also pretty much faultless - Its just a shame these wont be around forever!
Best for: Any pale girls perhaps a little too scared to try a pigmented bronzer, this is a wonderful stepping stone!

Finally here are all of my favourites swacthed so you can get an idea of what they look like beside each other! (Bottom -Top : Sleek Face Form, Soap & Glory Solar Powder and Dainty Doll Cream Blush) 
What is your favourite contour shade?

Current favourite lip product..

If there is one lip product I've been loving lately it's this liquid lipstick from Loreal. I picked up Molto Mauve on a whim last month and have been sporting it ever since! The product itself comes in this rather expensive looking  packaging complete with labels on the side and bottom to demonstrate the shade inside which I think is a lovely idea especially for someone with as many lip products as I have! 

Application with this beauty is made really easy with a lip gloss like applicator, unlike some other pigmented lip products this liquid lipstick doesn't cling to dry areas or take a million coats to look even. Instead users are left with a perfect shade in one swipe. Molto Mauve is pretty much a slightly darker 'my lips but better shade', I adore the look of it on my lips and despite being really natural looking you can definitely tell you have something on because of the beautiful glossy finish it delivers. Despite this finish this product isn't sticky on the lips at all, in fact it feels very nourishing and i love the feel of it on.

Overall I love this product, while i personally wouldn't label it as a 'liquid lipstick' It acts brilliantly as a pigmented lipgloss, meaning you would have to top it up throughout the day. Its not the cheapest product on the block at £8.99 but in my opinion its just worth it for the look and feel of the product itself (Plus theres always some sort of offer on the highstreet!)

Bourjois Java Rice Power

 Most powders on the high street offer users a 'mattified' look, meaning I'm always torn between wanting fresh and glowy looking skin, and trying to keep my make up in place all day. So when I heard about this universal illuminating loose powder I knew I had to try it! Bourjois Java Rice Powder comes in a sturdy feeling plastic container, once open, users simply have to twist the top layer of plastic revealing holes to release the powder. This holes act as a filter enabling you to control how much product you spill meaning mess is minimised, In fact I'd say in the eight months I've had this product I've only had one unfortunate incident which was my clumsy fault! 

I simply swirl my powder brush in this and apply directly to the face. While I've read some use this as a subtle highlighter I've found that this just isn't enough for me and I love using it as an allover face powder. At first I was sceptical that such a glittery looking product would leave me looking like a disco ball, although to be honest this barely shows up on your face and instead you are left with a healthy glow to this skin which stays put for the rest of the day.

Hopefully you can see this above (swatched heavily with my finger!). Have you ever tried an illuminating powder before? 

Three Favourite Necklaces..

In my early teenage years I went through a stage of absolutely adoring jewelry, in fact you would rarely see me without it, although as I've gotten older I've gotten to the stage were I rarely bother.. well up until last month! I dont know what happened but I suddenly am a massive fan of necklaces, and today I figured I'd share with you guys my favourite three.
This first Primark triangle necklace was the one which kick started the obsession, It wasn't too over the top like most of the designs in the store. Instead it stood out to be because it was extremely wearable and a mere second later it was in my basket of joy!

I just love the simplicity of this tube necklace from H&M, I don't know what it is but It was one of those things I had to have. This necklace was available in two colours, sliver and gold. Although  after much deliberation I went for the goldy shade as I liked the look of it more. This necklace just goes with everything, and I just cant get enough of it - Worth every single penny!

This final one was the cheapest and most delicate of the three. I originally had the bracelet version of this necklace which earned me so many compliments, so when I discovered there was a necklace too it had to be mine! This is just a great addition to those more laid back outfits that just need a little something extra. Plus its was an amazing find at just £1.50!

So there you have it my three favourite bargain necklaces! Which is your favourite? 

Things to do this summer..

(Source)

I've spent the day packing up the last of the things and wishing everyone goodbye which means first year at university is pretty much over and the prospect of a four month long summer is upon me. Having such a long time off seems pretty odd to me since I've pretty much worked my arse off this year and I'm honestly proud of what I've managed to achieve in such a sort space of time. I knew my degree wouldn't be a doss, but at times I don't think that was half of the struggle and it was probably my own thought for taking on too much too soon. Within a couple of weeks of starting my program I started work experience at a local firm, on top of learning to be an adult - which apparently isn't as easy as it sounds. I've already finished my lectures, coursework and and exams meaning there's already a huge gap in my life which i want to fill throughout my summer. So without further waffle - here's what I want to do this summer.

Gain more experience or volunteer  - Perhaps contradictory to the first paragraph, although this is something I'm pretty much determined to do during the summer! I know it will take me a grand total of a week before I begin to get bored and since I'll be moving back home during the summer, I'll be in the financial position to work for free which is something I can pretty much guarantee ever will happen again. So I'm determined to give up some of my time either to volunteer or to gain more work experience to figure out what exactly it is that I want to do. 

Visit different cities -  Minus the odd open day and moving to a different city for Uni, I cant say I've ever explored too many others. Which is why I will be taking full advantage of the people I have met both from my course and in my halls and making them give me the grand tour. I'm really looking forward to seeing new places, and of course seeing everyone again!

Take a little holiday - This one is kind of similar to the above, although I'm aiming to become a little more touristy. Myself and a few friends have booked a 4 night holiday just before the kids finish school really cheaply, although we're only going about 45 minutes up the road we're all still really excited for our little sea side get away. 

Discover more cheap days out - When I'm at home I live in London which doesn't exactly provide me with a whole host of cheap days out, although I'm hoping to be more savvy this summer which means swapping eating out for picnics and expense days out with some free alternatives.

Invest my money - Hopefully in being more savvy with my days out I'll be able to save some money for a new camera! I'm also planning on walking pretty much everywhere which should help towards this since bus fare can be pretty pricey!

Read for enjoyment - Other than when I had a little time off for Christmas, I haven't voluntarily picked up a book since this time last year! I already have a load on my list, so cant wait to get started!

Blog more - Spending my time in halls has meant that I've not had too much free time on my hands, and when I do I normally spend it sleeping or socialising! I've really missed blogging frequently and hope to do it a lot more over the coming months.

Start reading up on next years modules - If I'm honest this is probably the thing I'm least likely to do although a girl can dream! I really want to start next year with some background knowelege which is why I'll be looking at whats to come before the start of my second year.

So there you have it, my plan for the summer! What have you guys got planned?

Empties #2

I'm officially moving out of halls in just a week meaning I'm trying to get rid of a few unnecessary bits I have floating around before i start the dull task of packing! I found these five beauties and figured I'd share mt thoughts on them with you guys as i actually enjoyed each and everyone of them! 

St Ives Blemish Fighting Scrub - In my opinion St Ives sell the best scrubs on the high street, making this my 'holy grail' facial scrub. Its pretty much the only one I bother with since I find others way too gentle. I posted a review about this around two years ago here and I still feel the same way. As normal I will be picking this up again.

Soap & Glory Foam Call - I got this in a gift set during the boxing day sales, Like everything Soap & Glory sell, It had a lovely scent to it and lathered nicely. The only thing I did dislike about it was the fact that it didnt have a pump like other S&G shower gels which lead to me using more of the product. Although looking at the Boots website it appears it normally does so maybe that is just because I got mine within a gift set. So, Will I be picking this up again? Probably not, as lovely as it was I'm only likely to pick up any shower gels from this range if they have a good deal on as they are pretty pricey.

Vo5 Heat Protect Styling Spray - When it comes to heat protection I tend to pick up whatever is on offer although this was nice, and I would buy again.

Bourjois healthy mix foundation - I rarely finish make up products although I seemed to have finished this one pretty quickly! I loved the shade of this foundation as I felt that it was well suited to my pale skin. I also really liked the dewy finish to it. Providing that I somehow finish all of the other foundations I have on the go I'd love to buy this again, however at the moment it just doesn't seem sensible. 

Soap & Glory Peaches & Clean - I really love this cleanser and find myself going back to it every Christmas after getting the big Soap & Glory gift set. I just does a wonderful job at leaving my skin clean and fresh. I will buy this again once I've finished the products I have on the go.